Protests Everywhere
About 150 people protested school cuts outside the Townview Magnet Center on 8th Street in Dallas March 23. Almost everybody was African American or Latino. Students, parents, teachers, officials, and community organizers turned out for the rally that was called by the Texas Organizing Project (TOPS). The host with the bullhorn thanked Jobs with Justice, Ironworkers, United Food and Commercial Workers, and other organizations for participating. TOPS organizers ranged through the crowd signing people up to attend the statewide coalition's rally at the capitol on April 6.
The Townview Magnet School, once the pride of Dallas Independent School district, may lose half its teachers and all its advanced projects with the cuts from the state. Jan Sanders, a highly respected activists from the civil rights days to present, told the crowd that the cuts will end the Law Center dedicated to her husband, Federal Judge Barefoot Sanders. One of the students had a sign that asked passing autos to honk their horns in support, and the response was almost defeaning. A young student appealed to the crowd to save the students because, "We are the future."
A young man's sign read, "3.2 is not enough," meaning that $3.2 billion of the $9.4 billion Texas "Rainy Day" fund, which might be spent to avoid layoffs, is not nearly enough. Texans want all of the Rainy Day fund spent before they start losing jobs and state services. A young girl named Blanca, aged 16, had the best sign of all, "It's raining, it's pouring, and Gov. Perry is snoring!" Such demonstrations are happening everywhere! See the previous posting!"